USA Today articles are usually nothing but puff pieces. If you notice that list is just a compilation of 51 different people making one shot recommendations. It is not a comprehensive survey or poll. Just one person's opinion in each state and I suspect the editorial request was to come up with some place new or editorially unique and not to repeat the usual suspects. So basically the article is worthless for any true evaluations but maybe highlights some places you might not have thought of otherwise.

In my case I would have bet money that they pick Pepe's in New Haven, CT. I would have won. There is a lot more great pizza in CT and it isn't all in New Haven. Do I think it was researched, no way. That's just one of the go to pizza places when writing about food in CT.